1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector that can doubly secure terminal members in a connector housing. The connector comprises a retainer mounted in the connector housing, where the retainer can be moved in a reciprocating manner with respect to connector housing to secure the terminal member. The invention also provides for a method for manufacturing the connector, a molding device for manufacturing the connector, and a method for mounting the retainer in the connector housing.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional connector or front retainer-type connector secures a terminal member in a double manner by pushing a retainer into a connector housing from the front surface. This conventional front retainer-type connector will now be described below with reference to FIGS. 26 and 27.
A connector housing a has an interior with a plurality of cavities c, which receives a metal terminal member b. The terminal member b is inserted into the connector housing from a backside. In the bottom surface of the connector housing a, a plurality of flexible lances d are provided. The lances d are each engageable with a corresponding terminal member b. In the front surface of the connector housing a, a retainer insertion hole e is formed. A retainer g can be mounted into the insertion hole e. The retainer g includes an insertion portion h that is insertable into flexibly deformable spaces f formed in each lance d.
As the retainer g is inserted into the retainer insertion hole e in the connector housing a, the retainer g is initially held at a shallow insertion depth in a temporarily secured position, shown by a solid line in FIG. 26. In the temporarily secured position, the insertion portion h of the retainer g is in front of the flexibly deformable spaces f for each lance d. Therefore, if the terminal member b is inserted into the cavities c, it will deform the lance d. When the terminal member b is inserted to its normal or fully inserted position, each lance d is elastically deformed and returns to the original condition, thereby engaging the terminal member b so that the terminal member b is secured. If the retainer g is further pushed into a fully secured position, as shown in FIG. 27, the insertion portion h of the retainer g is inserted into the flexibly deformable space f of the lance d. This assures that the terminal member b cannot be removed and the terminal member b is doubly secured.
In the conventional connector, the direction the retainer g is pushed toward the temporarily secured position is the same as the direction the retainer g is pushed from the temporarily secured position toward the fully secured position. In the temporarily secured position, although the retainer g is tentatively held, there is a possibility that the retainer g can be erroneously pushed into the fully secured position. If the retainer g is pushed into the fully secured position before the terminal member b is inserted, each lance d cannot be flexibly deformed. Thus, it is impossible to insert the terminal member b. This inevitably requires a complicated extra operation, where the retainer g must be returned back to the temporarily secured position, and the terminal member b must be reinserted, before the retainer g can be again pushed into its fully secured position.
In a conventional connector, when a male side front retainer-type connector is mounted into the male side of a connector housing, a hood can be provided. Since a tab of a male-type terminal member projects into the hood, it is impossible for a user to insert his or her hand into the housing. Therefore, a specially made tool or jig must be used to mount the retainer. This results in a poor and inexact operability. Also, the tab of the terminal member can be deformed as the retainer is mounted.
Further, the costs of conventional connectors can be high. In the above-mentioned conventional connectors, the connector is provisionally assembled so the retainer g is held in the temporarily secured position, and the connector is then transported to a terminal insertion location. Prior to the temporary assembling of the connector housing a and retainer g, the connector housing a and retainer g are separately molded by separate molding devices. After molding, the connector housing a and retainer g are carried to a assembly site, where they can be assembled by an automatic assembly machine, for example a parts feeder. Alternatively, they can be assemble manually by an operator.
The molding of the connector housing a and retainer g is separate from their assembly, and a temporarily assembled connector can be completed through the steps of molding, carrying and assembling the connector housing a and retainer g. Also, when the housing a and retainer g are manually connected together, an inspection step is required. Therefore, since a large number of steps are necessary for completion of the connector, the manufacturing costs increase. It is also necessary to separately manage and maintain the separate molds for the connector housing a and retainer g. This farther adds to the cost of manufacturing of the connector.